Underwater Archaeological Society of Vol. 22 No.6 Nov-Dec 2011

waterfront. The Ymir was made of wood and is 77’ long x 16’ wide x 6’ deep. It was built and launched at Nel‐ son in 1899 and was used to move Transfer barges around. The super structure is gone but the hull, deck planking and boiler are still in place. Directly off the bow of the Ymir is a fifteen car Railway Transfer barge in about 50’ of water. This is a shore dive and the fact that most of the decking is gone means that the inter‐ nal structure of the barge can be seen. This dive site also happens to be the location of the CPR shipways on . The CPR fleet of stern‐ wheelers, tugs and Rail barge would have been built and maintained at this location in the late 1800’s up to 1930.

Our next site to visit was the Steam Tug Elco II located in the Columbia The Kootenay Wreck Tour River above Castlegar. The Elco II was by, Bill Meekel 76’ long x 15’ wide x 7’ deep. It was built by the Edgewood Lumber Co in In September 2011, eight UASBC concentrates from the mines around 1924 to move log booms on the Arrow members made a visit to the the lake before the railway was in‐ Lakes to their sawmill. The vessel is a to visit some of the wrecks stalled. The barge is 197’ long x 33’ shore dive and is upside down on the in the area. The first site visited were wide x 8’ deep and is totally con‐ bottom. The superstructure is gone, the Silverton Box Cars which is a great structed from wood. but there is a hole in the hull which shore dive at Silverton. There are four allows the boiler and engines to be rail cars remaining which went into Even though the bow is beached on seen. Penetration is not recom‐ the lake from a railcar transfer barge shore there is a lot to see underwater, mended. during a storm. One of the cars was such as the diesel engine driven com‐ reported to be carrying silver ingots. pressor still fastened to the deck and The Kootenays are a beautiful area to These were recovered later by hard the internal construction of the barge. visit due to the mountains, historic hat divers. We also had a memorial at the site for Nelson and the mining communities of JC Schweizer who was an active UASBC Silverton, Sandon and of course the The second site we visited was the member who passed away recently. A maritime history. Railcar Transfer Barge located on the plaque was placed underwater near west shore of Slocan Lake across from the Barge in memory of JC. These sites are well documented in Silverton. The barge is a good example the UASBC publication ‘Historic Ship‐ of an eight rail car transfer barge, used We next moved to Nelson to visit the wrecks of the West Kootenay District by the CPR to move materials such as Steam Tug Ymir, located on the Nelson of BC’. 1 Report from the President

As with all organizations, Time is a Don’t forget the Past. At the October September and nine more in Vancou‐ critical factor for the UASBC. We have 19th Skype call the Executive con‐ ver at SFU in October. our Past, Present, and Future. Rightly, firmed Tom Beasley as the Lower we are very proud of our Past, but at Mainland Director. Tom is a long time Another new face in the Society is this point our Present is focusing on member and former President of the Keith Bossons. Keith is wearing a few our Future. I am quite excited about Society. Tom has planned a fairly ag‐ different hats. He was one of the SFU that future. gressive schedule of events for the NAS students and has taken on the Vancouver area over the next ten Treasurer’s position on the Executive. The new Logo appeared in September months. Keep on the lookout for the Keith with his boundless enthusiasm and is proudly displayed on this news‐ notices. The speakers and events has also agreed to help Tom in the letter. It was also used to validate the sound exciting and innovative. Lower Mainland by organizing the ex‐ NAS passports that have been issued plorations/dive schedule. recently, as well as on letters that The Society is reprinting “Ghost Ships have gone to government, etc. In Au‐ of Royston” this fall. It should be avail‐ Since we are moving on all fronts, the gust the decision was made to move able in November at a cost of $15. The Victoria chapter is planning Ship‐ the Foghorn to PDF format almost ex‐ member’s price will be $13. Since wrecks for the Saturday, March 31st, clusively. While there is still provision Black Cat Graphics has been key in 2012. The theme for the conference is for printed copies for those individuals making this happen, we have managed “Polar Exploration”. The provisional that do not have email, the Society to keep some other past stalwarts, speaker list is great. Definitely plan to feels that electronic transfer, availabil‐ David and Jennifer Stone, involved. be in Victoria for this one. ity of information is the wave of the present. We will be exploring PDF for‐ Building for the future, the education There isn’t any snow outside the win‐ mat for our publications, reports and wing of the Society has produced 13 dow, yet, but this will be the last annual reports. new NAS 1 graduates. Four keen stu‐ chance to wish you all a Happy Holiday dents attended in Victoria in season to close 2011! Mine Myths and Cement Barges by, Matt Bossons After a long wait, our dive boat pulled exploring the area in search of mining found these artifacts, but I did find a away from the dock in Deep Cove artefacts that had been brought to the rusted gear of industrial size, although around 10am. Joel Schurman, Glenn UASBC’s attention by a number of its origins are debatable. Farquhar, Mike Juren, Randy Roy, Tim sources. The teams exploring the wall Novak, Keith Bossons and I were div‐ between 50’‐70’ found little evidence The next site we planned to explore ing on behalf of the UASBC to explore of mining equipment, but after as‐ was a sunken barge, known as the two sites located up Indian Arm. cending up the wall to a large open EVCo.11. It was originally owned by slope at 30’ divers began to locate ar‐ Evans‐Coleman‐Evans Ltd and it was Our first dive site was located only a tefacts. operated as a cement hopper barge short boat‐ride from the dock. When until it sank in Bedwell Bay in the the boat pulled up along‐side a steep At around 20’, stacks of what could 1980s. We jumped back into the cold cliff face our team got a first glimpse have been mining totes or mining rail‐ sea water in our original groups and at a large, door‐like opening in the car buckets where located. The boxes descended near the wreck. When I stone wall. It has been rumoured the appeared to be made of concrete, due reached the ocean floor, at roughly hole is an entrance to a long aban‐ to their excellent, smooth condition 90’, I was immediately shocked at just doned gold mine; other rumors insist with no obvious signs of erosion. It how dark it was. Pitch black engulfed the mine links up with the Britannia was pointed out in an email from Mr. everything, in every direction, and silt Mine. None of us knew for sure Novak that the surface of these totes, particles suspended in the water made whether any of these myths hold wa‐ “appeared smoother than one would visibility max‐out at a few feet. I ter, but it made for interesting conver‐ expect with concrete and were per‐ turned on my light and it barely pene‐ sation. haps aluminum or steel.” According to trated 5’ in front of me – finding this the email, the thickness of the walls of barge was going to be interesting. We entered the water in small groups the boxes appeared to be approxi‐ and descended along an underwater mately 1”‐1.25”. I was not lucky Glen, Keith and I hovered just above wall to roughly 60’. Everyone began enough to be part of the team that (Continued on page 4) 2 Underwater Explorers Speakers Series You Win Some & You Lose Some Lower Mainland ‐ Join the UASBC in Vancouver to hear about underwater ex‐ by, Jacques Marc plorations from around the province and the world! Meetings are held on the last Wednesday of each month at 7:30pm at the Vancouver Maritime Museum, 1905 Ogden Avenue in Vancouver. Everyone is welcome and there is no cost.

For more information about the speakers, topics, or UASBC meetings visit our website: http://www.uasbc.com/vancouverspeakerseries.cfm

Victoria ‐ Or, join the UASBC on to hear about underwater ex‐ plorations from around the province and the world. Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month, at 7:00pm in the Maritime Museum of BC in Bastion Square, Victoria. Everyone is welcome and there is no cost.

For more information about the speakers, topics, or UASBC meetings visit our website: http://www.uasbc.com/victoriaspeakerseries.cfm

Congratulations to the latest group of NAS 1 graduates! The UASBC has just com‐ pleted teaching a combination NAS Introductory and level 1 course in Vancouver. It was presented on the evening of October 14, followed by a full day on the fif‐ teenth until mid afternoon on the sixteenth. The location was in a classroom at October 2 dawned with a relatively Simon Fraser University and at the conveniently located pool close by. For the clear sky and no wind, perfect for our first time, the open water segment took place down the hill at Barnet Marine Race Rocks trip. Everyone arrived at Park. Although very close by and therefore a time‐saver, the park presented its the Ogden Point Dive Center on sched‐ challenges in terms of visibility and slope. The students proved to be a capable ule at 7:45am keen to go diving. At and enthusiastic group. 8:15am there was still no sign of Erin Bradley, charter operator. Under nor‐ mal circumstances if someone is a bit late for a dive, you would say what the heck. Unfortunately, when you dive at Race Rocks the current doesn’t wait. Alas, at 8:20am as if on queue Erin pulled into the shop parking lot with a big grin on his face. “Had you worried did I” he quipped. It seems he had to stop and pick up some boat gas, other‐ wise we weren’t going anywhere.

Everyone piled their gear into the Juan de Fuca Warrior in short. There were seven of us in total: Jiri Kotler, Paul Spencer, Bob Simpson, Doug Maynard, Rob Field, Kim Berg and yours truly. L‐R back row: Keith Bossons, Juan Carlos Bolomey, Ray LeFrense, Bob Simpson, Adam Minutes later we were bouncing over Taylor, Ray Mulder, Chris Harvey‐Clark. L‐R front row: Sarah Park, Sean Adams. the water, destination Race Rocks mystery wreck. The mystery wreck The UASBC would also like to offer congratulations to: John Campbell, Randy was discovered October 9, 1993 by Park, Doug Maynard and Greg Nuttall for their completion of NAS 1. The course diver Richard Smith. The site is com‐ was held in Victoria on September 17 and 18 and organized by our senior tutor, prised of a large pile of yellow fire Jacques Marc. It is through course participation that we are able to train new bricks, five small iron anchors, several people with the skills necessary to do the search and survey work that is our man‐ barrel shaped clumps of lime, a stern‐ date. All the best to all the NAS graduates and we hope to see you on upcoming post gudgeon, a few brass pins, and projects! (Continued on page 4) 3 Win Some (continued) dates 1845‐1880) is that the wreck is of wood remains buried in the sand. early. There is speculation that the site Protruding up here and there are brass countless shards of glass and china. As could represent some of the contents pins and copper hull sheathing. We luck would have it there was a huge of the Nanette which wrecked on the also found a few iron artefacts of un‐ kelp forest in front of and on top of rock in 1860. It has been a while since determined function. Near the end of the wreck. Given that Race Rocks is a I have been afflicted by Murphy. the dive, eagle eyed Paul Spencer protected area, we couldn’t motor our While taking my tank off I swung found a huge bullet on the site. Made way to the wreck as this would chew around and knocked my underwater of iron it is heavily concreted and up a lot of kelp. Consequently, we had camera off the seat. It hit the deck measured approximately 1’ X 5”‐6” in to approach the wreck from the north. hard and severely cracked the Plexi‐ diameter. The bullet doesn’t’ appear This proved to be a problem as we glas housing. Ouch! to be from the wreck, but it is most couldn’t put divers directly on the definitely old. Perhaps the Fort Rod wreck. As a result some people went For our second dive, I suggested that Hill Guns used the wreck for target right and some went left. Those who we go and try to relocate the Twenty practice at the turn of the century? I went right enjoyed a very pretty dive. First of May wreck, a 160’ Chilean had to borrow Rob Fields camera to Those who went left ultimately found barque lost off Rocky Point on Decem‐ get a couple photographs. the wreck and spent time exploring ber 10, 1881.The location information the mountain of bricks, looking for we had consisted of several compass As the boat was pulling away from the anything new that might help date the bearings to key shore features. Erin dive site I suddenly realized I had left wreck or shed light on its origins. Un‐ jockeyed the boat around until I had my knife on the bullet when I had used fortunately we didn’t come across all the bearings lined up. We dropped it for scale in a photograph. Murphy anything new. the anchor and began searching. We struck again! Back at Ogden Point found the wreck, inshore of the boat Dive Centre we packed our gear and What we know based on two previous position, about half way through the everyone headed for a coffee. It had finds (black glass which predates 1870 dive. The wreck lies on a sandy patch been a great day, looking on the bright & a Weston & Weshalls Salt Jar which in amongst a rocky bottom. Quite a bit side.

Barges (continued) Foghorn (ISSN 1198–7081) is published six Join the Next Adventure times annually by the Underwater Archaeologi‐ cal Society of British Columbia (UASBC), c/o the the bottom. Once our lights were on Vancouver Maritime Museum, 1905 Ogden and our compasses were set for north, To find out more about upcoming Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6J 1A3 we began to move in the direction of www.UASBC.com. The UASBC is a group of UASBC Explorations, Trips, Courses, volunteer avocational and professional under‐ the barge. Our advance was slow, like and Events visit us online at: water archaeologists who conserve, preserve, battered soldiers on the front line; we and protect the maritime heritage lying be‐ crept along the ocean bottom scan‐ neath BC’s coastal and inland waters. ning ahead for any sign of our sunken www.UASBC.com UASBC Executive destination. It was not until we were President Eric Young literally underneath the bow of the Past President David Hill‐Turner barge that we realized we had found Treasurer Keith Bossons Communications. Dir. Chris Fenton our site. The metal of the vessel was Or join the discussion on: Membership Secretary Jennifer Ingram rusted and orange with age. It was Lower Mainland Dir. Tom Beasley sitting upside down with its hull facing Van. Island Dir. John Middleton Southern Interior Bill Meekel the world above, forgotten by most; it Education Dir. Bronwen Young lies still like a lifeless body. Not every‐ Exploration Dir. Jacques Marc Product Sales Dir. David Johnstone thing about this barge was dead, eels and lingcod have come to call this Editing and Layout place home, and their abundance Chris Fenton proved the vessel still has a use, even Editorial Material at 90’ underwater. Opinions expressed in Foghorn are those of the authors and do not necessarily Both dives proved interesting and of‐ represent those of the UASBC. Copyright © fered amazing glimpses at the under‐ 2011, the Underwater Archaeological Society of British Columbia. All rights reserved. No part water world of Indian Arm. Our UASBC of this publication may be reproduced or trans‐ group had a good time and look for‐ mitted without the publisher’s written permis‐ ward to getting back in the water. sion. 4